Scan barcode
bibliophile90's review against another edition
4.0
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
Cora Reilly is one of the best Mafia Romance authors whose books I had the pleasure of reading. I haven't read many Mafia Romances the last couple of years, because after a while they kind of start to sound the same. However, I trust Cora to come up with a way to elevate this subgenre. She hasn't disappointed yet, and I really hope she won't with her future releases. In Fragile Longing we follow Danilo, who was supposed to marry Serafina, who is the heroine Sofia's older sister. However, she has run away to the enemy and now Sofia is given to Danilo in her sister’s stead. Sofia had been crushing on Danilo for a long time, but it was an innocent crush that young girls have. Danilo is just doing his duty and isn't really that happy in the beginning. In the first half of the book we see Sofia doing her best to attract his attention, which Danilo ignores/rejects. Then it is time for their arranged marriage to take place, and because of an incident Sofia's puppy love has been ruined.
I really enjoyed seeing Sofia grow in this book, she started out as an eleven year old girl and ended up a confident young woman. She started out feeling like consolation prize, and that Danilo still had feelings for her sister. She didn't feel enough and tried her best to create the perfect image she thought people wanted. I was happy when she gave up and found her true self. Danilo was pretty broody and distant in the beginning, so I loved when I saw another side to him with Sofia. Seeing them getting to know each other and falling in love was beautiful. The ten year age-gap didn't bother me, we see Sofia grow up in this book and I enjoyed the person she became. The character development was amazing and I loved these two together. The side characters were also great and I can't wait for some of them to get their own book. I think lovers of Cora's books/mafia romance will enjoy this book a lot. The intimate scenes were so sexy and steamy, and I just couldn't get enough of them. I didn't want to say goodbye to the characters, and I wish it was longer. But Cora blessed us with a beautiful epilogue which satisfied my craving for more.
Cora Reilly is one of the best Mafia Romance authors whose books I had the pleasure of reading. I haven't read many Mafia Romances the last couple of years, because after a while they kind of start to sound the same. However, I trust Cora to come up with a way to elevate this subgenre. She hasn't disappointed yet, and I really hope she won't with her future releases. In Fragile Longing we follow Danilo, who was supposed to marry Serafina, who is the heroine Sofia's older sister. However, she has run away to the enemy and now Sofia is given to Danilo in her sister’s stead. Sofia had been crushing on Danilo for a long time, but it was an innocent crush that young girls have. Danilo is just doing his duty and isn't really that happy in the beginning. In the first half of the book we see Sofia doing her best to attract his attention, which Danilo ignores/rejects. Then it is time for their arranged marriage to take place, and because of an incident Sofia's puppy love has been ruined.
I really enjoyed seeing Sofia grow in this book, she started out as an eleven year old girl and ended up a confident young woman. She started out feeling like consolation prize, and that Danilo still had feelings for her sister. She didn't feel enough and tried her best to create the perfect image she thought people wanted. I was happy when she gave up and found her true self. Danilo was pretty broody and distant in the beginning, so I loved when I saw another side to him with Sofia. Seeing them getting to know each other and falling in love was beautiful. The ten year age-gap didn't bother me, we see Sofia grow up in this book and I enjoyed the person she became. The character development was amazing and I loved these two together. The side characters were also great and I can't wait for some of them to get their own book. I think lovers of Cora's books/mafia romance will enjoy this book a lot. The intimate scenes were so sexy and steamy, and I just couldn't get enough of them. I didn't want to say goodbye to the characters, and I wish it was longer. But Cora blessed us with a beautiful epilogue which satisfied my craving for more.
metzireadsromance's review against another edition
5.0
Sofia and Danilo
I had to read this story after reading “Twisted Pride”. I know many don’t enjoy how hung-up Sofia is over the whole situation with her sister, but I loved the angst. Danilo is an idiot and self-centered for a long time…but he is the one who makes the marriage work.
I had to read this story after reading “Twisted Pride”. I know many don’t enjoy how hung-up Sofia is over the whole situation with her sister, but I loved the angst. Danilo is an idiot and self-centered for a long time…but he is the one who makes the marriage work.
somyaa's review against another edition
3.0
So, after reading Twisted Pride, I was pretty interested in reading this book and I actually anticipated that this couple was going to have a book as Sofia seemed a nice character. This book is a spin-off of the series Camorra Chronicle, mainly from Twisted Pride. So, Sofia’s feelings were quite strong for her fiancé even when her sister was engaged to him but when her sister was kidnapped, the mafia people decided to give Sofia to Danilo instead.
Danilo was a good, simple guy but after her fiancé was kidnapped on their wedding day and decided not to marry him, his pride was hurt and most probably his heart also. He was looking for casual hookups and was not interested in Sofia. But with their increasing proximity, he might have developed feelings for her the woman who was promised to him.
As much as I understand Danio’s feelings, it was frustrating to read about Sofia being rejected by him repeatedly. So again, Danilo is not someone I adored but liked enough. The book was fast-paced and I enjoyed it. So, if after reading the earlier series you realise that this is some story you want to know, then definitely give it a go.
Highlights:
Age gap
arrange marriage
pamfbi's review
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The angst in this book was chef’s kiss however I still wanted more of it.
I would’ve given this 5 stars if we would’ve gotten Sofia and Danilo to spend more time together and not her being 11 through like 50% of the book.
Also the number of times Serafina and Remo were mentioned was a bit excessive.
I would’ve given this 5 stars if we would’ve gotten Sofia and Danilo to spend more time together and not her being 11 through like 50% of the book.
Also the number of times Serafina and Remo were mentioned was a bit excessive.
deena_'s review against another edition
1.0
This book doesn't deserve any stars, sorry. It was a mistake, wish I could wipe it off my memory and pretend I've never read it.
Are we just going to act as if a 10 year old crushing on her sister's fiance who's got a decade on her is normal? I don't even know why the title is 'Fragile Longing' rather than 'I'm A Disappoinment Because I'm Not Serafina'. All her povs consisted of her constant self-comparison to her sister, the way she could never be so pretty and blonde like her, be so composed and hold herself gracefully like her, how she couldn't talk or walk like her, how she couldn't give her husband the illusion of his ex fiance Serafina's perfection.
She was obsessed with her desire to be a Serafina replica. She chose to live in her sister's shadow when she could be anything else. She wasn't even concerned about her sister who returned home after months of captivity in enemy territory; she was so busy daydreaming of her marriage with the man her sister no longer wanted to marry. She was ignorant of everything but her own feelings. Honestly, Anna carried away the whole show, knocking some sense in Sofia's head every now and then.
Is that some kind of Outfit tradition? mourning their ex and ignoring their partner, first Dante, now Danilo. For all that matters, he didn't even love Serafina, he was around just for her social status and relation to Dante which is the driving force of his bond with Sofia later on. I don't get why he's so hung up on his ex fiance in the name of pride and honor.
Thinking about Serafina while he's getting it off with other women is so not okay, it's sick how he was so hell bent on searching her in everyone he's with. He literally had blonde fever after his blonde fiance left him for another man and Sofia being the idiot always found a way to justify his dumb actions, even though he brushed her off for being young and immature when he was the one who agreed to get engaged to a kid.
On their wedding night, she had to use her sister's name to rile him up enough to approach her and when he finally gave her attention, she started playing hard to get. My snapping point was when she dyed her hair blonde in hopes of sating his Serafina fantasy other than the society taboo they made Remofina out to be.
Are we just going to act as if a 10 year old crushing on her sister's fiance who's got a decade on her is normal? I don't even know why the title is 'Fragile Longing' rather than 'I'm A Disappoinment Because I'm Not Serafina'. All her povs consisted of her constant self-comparison to her sister, the way she could never be so pretty and blonde like her, be so composed and hold herself gracefully like her, how she couldn't talk or walk like her, how she couldn't give her husband the illusion of his ex fiance Serafina's perfection.
She was obsessed with her desire to be a Serafina replica. She chose to live in her sister's shadow when she could be anything else. She wasn't even concerned about her sister who returned home after months of captivity in enemy territory; she was so busy daydreaming of her marriage with the man her sister no longer wanted to marry. She was ignorant of everything but her own feelings. Honestly, Anna carried away the whole show, knocking some sense in Sofia's head every now and then.
Is that some kind of Outfit tradition? mourning their ex and ignoring their partner, first Dante, now Danilo. For all that matters, he didn't even love Serafina, he was around just for her social status and relation to Dante which is the driving force of his bond with Sofia later on. I don't get why he's so hung up on his ex fiance in the name of pride and honor.
Thinking about Serafina while he's getting it off with other women is so not okay, it's sick how he was so hell bent on searching her in everyone he's with. He literally had blonde fever after his blonde fiance left him for another man and Sofia being the idiot always found a way to justify his dumb actions, even though he brushed her off for being young and immature when he was the one who agreed to get engaged to a kid.
On their wedding night, she had to use her sister's name to rile him up enough to approach her and when he finally gave her attention, she started playing hard to get. My snapping point was when she dyed her hair blonde in hopes of sating his Serafina fantasy other than the society taboo they made Remofina out to be.
butterfliesivy's review
challenging
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
mhysaofdragons's review against another edition
2.0
Cora, Cora, Cora…you are killing me girl. TWO 2 stars in a row? You’re stressing me out. I miss the Famiglia. I don’t like these other families
raesreadingrealm_'s review against another edition
4.0
Justice for my girl Sophia.
She deserved better.
She deserved better.
camilacadibe's review against another edition
2.0
Meh.
Don't really like the characters.
Sofia only started to grow on me about 60% in. The age gap did not appeal to me at all and everything felt very... Meh.
Also, Sofia's obsession with Fina was so goddamn irritating.
Don't really like the characters.
Sofia only started to grow on me about 60% in. The age gap did not appeal to me at all and everything felt very... Meh.
Also, Sofia's obsession with Fina was so goddamn irritating.